Ottawa seeks consultant to weigh LRT proposals

Ottawa is seeking a consultant to help evaluate proposals submitted by three consortia for Ottawa Light Rail Transit (OLRT) Project, in part to make sure they meet provincial Canadian Content quotas.

Requirements include a hotly disputed rule that any proposal involving LRT cars include a minimum 25% Canadian content; the minimum is a must for Ottawa to be eligible for the C$600 million offered by Ontario province for LRT. The federal government also is contributing C$600 million to aid LRT development in the nation’s capital.

Ottawa earlier this year shortlisted Requests for Proposals from three “world class consortia” Including: Ottawa Transit Partners, led by Vinci Concessions; Rideau Transit Group, led by ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc.; and Rideau Transit Partners, led by Bouygues Travaux Publics S.A.